March 28, 2024
Annapolis, US 50 F

Guest Column: Why I am running for Clerk of the Court

Doug ArnoldAt the Clerk’s office, where I’ve worked for 27 years, we are passionate about serving our community. Our mission is fair, equitable and accessible justice. Our goal is to ensure that each and every person has access to justice and to the services of the court.

Each year in Maryland there are over 30,000 acts of domestic violence. Recently here in Anne Arundel County a woman was murdered in an act of domestic violence.  As a child, I had a close and loved family member who was the victim of domestic violence and I observed the pain and difficulty of domestic violence. Far too often families across our county face the pain, fear and consequences of domestic violence. That’s why at the office of the Clerk of the Court we provide personal support to each person seeking a protective order.

Twenty-seven years ago, I walked into the courthouse for the first time as an employee. I thought I was starting a job, but what I found in the courthouse was a shared passion for justice and service to our community. That passion is why I am running to be the next Clerk of the Court.

As I meet people across Anne Arundel County, I’m often asked what the Clerk does, and I love being able to share about the important work of the clerk’s office with the people we serve. We are guided by our mission for fair, equitable and accessible justice and dedicated to serving every person in the county who needs access to the court.

We serve you in three main ways: supporting families, helping businesses grow, and working toward safer communities.

SUPPORT FAMILIES

Every family has a story. The Clerk’s office brings families together every day through issuing marriage licenses, performing civil marriage ceremonies (I’ve married over 4,000 couples), facilitating adoption services, and helping families in trouble. The Clerk’s office has been part of my family’s story, too: My wife and I obtained our marriage license there, as well as important documents when we began our journey to expand our family through adoption.

GROW BUSINESSES

A well-run Clerk’s office contributes to a strong environment for commerce and business. I will continue to provide a professional and reliable Clerk’s office that will work with our governor and county executive to serve the businesses in our county. This office issues 10,000 business licenses each year. We record deeds, mortgages and liens, and our responsiveness contributes to a bustling real estate industry in our county. Through service, efficiencies and timely work, we help enable job growth and thriving businesses.

MAKE COMMUNITIES SAFER

As a partner to the criminal justice system, the Clerk of the Court helps carry out justice and contributes to safer communities. The Drug Court helps support success over the horrific opioid crisis as so many battle drug addictions. Through diligence and committed employees, we protect the rights of victims and witnesses in our community and work toward restitution. Our partnerships with agencies, law enforcement and our judges help keep us safe. It’s our calling and passion. Through the accurate and timely processing of warrants, court documents and decisions, we enable our law enforcement community to better protect our communities.

I am honored to have the support of our current Clerk, Bob Duckworth, who has served as Clerk for 24 years. He has been my mentor and modeled a dedication to service that serves and respects each person who enters the courthouse.

As Clerk of the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County, I will serve you with fair, equitable and accessible justice. Please vote for me, Doug Arnold for Clerk.

Please connect with me on Facebook at facebook.com/DougArnoldCampaign; on Twitter and Instagram @DougArnoldAACo and at my web page dougarnold.net.

–Doug Arnold

Note: Doug Arnold is a candidate for Clerk of the Court in Anne Arundel County. We encourage all readers to learn all they can about the candidates that will appear on the ballot. Here is a link to Arnold’s website.

 

 

Previous Article

Daily News Brief | October 22, 2018

Next Article

Classic children’s book characters coming to the Mitchell Gallery at St. John’s

You might be interested in …